The DeRoboticizer
by MistressAli
Summary: The sequel to 'the Cousins', so do read that first. Devon gets her wish, Sniv's in trouble, as usual, and Uncle Chuck makes a good discovery. And other stuff. Just read it already. :)


The DeRoboticizer (c) 98 by me, MistressAli  
All "Sonic the Hedgehog" characters and related indicia (c) and TM Sega. Used without permission.  
Devon and DaSilva and Anacharis (c) MistressAli  
Packbell (c) David Pistone (Bookshire)  
Packbell's 'song' (c) Bruce Springsteen :)  
This document may be freely distributed, as long as it's not altered in any way.  
Ok, peoples, this story contains: some violence & swearing...just a warning... :)

Also, this story continues from "The Cousins"!

"The DeRoboticizer"

'Bot DAS102 slammed her metallic fist hard into the belly of Princess Sally. -Rip- The dummy had suffered too much damage, and it tore in half. White stuffing spilled onto the floor.  
The roboticized human, formerly known as DaSilva, stepped back and looked over at her master. "Replica of Princess Sally terminated."  
With arms folded over his muscular chest, Commander Packbell nodded slowly. "Good. You'll be ready for the real thing soon." He grinned. "Come here."  
She obediently approached him. He looked down at her, then brought his hands to her cheeks. She was beautiful-he wanted to kiss her so bad. But it would be like kissing his desk or the wall...for she was pure cold metal. Bah! If only she was still human.  
"Oh well," he said aloud. "I still have your sister, DAS."  
Expressionless, her slightly glowing eyes just stared at him.

Warm-fleshed, long hair pulled back in a ponytail, 'bot DAS102's sister was staring out the window in her room. Devon sighed as she surveyed the cityscape. "Robotropolis," she muttered, "the city that never sleeps, eh?" She tapped her fingernails against the glass. These windows didn't open. She wished they would-she liked to lean out into the breeze.  
Her door slid open. Her shoulders tensed but then relaxed as a slightly-accented nasal voice spoke. "Devon?"  
"Yeah?" She turned around to eye her cousin, Snively, as he sat down on her bed. The doors slid closed.  
He looked at her for a moment, then opened his mouth. "I...no. Nevermind."  
"What?"  
He pulled on a loose thread on his uniform sleeve, frowning. Then he raised his eyes to hers. "I found the deroboticizer," he said in a low voice.  
"No way."  
"Yes way." He laughed dryly. "I took me a lot of digging. I almost got caught a few times." An involuntary shudder shook his body...he was no doubt imagining the punishments that would have been inflicted on him concerning his snooping.  
"We'll have to use it on DaSilva. God, this is gonna rule. It's about time. When can we use it?"  
Snively stared steadily at his cousin. **Devon here doesn't know the risks I've taken just to locate the damn thing. To use it...it's nearly impossible.**  
"Well? When can we use it?"  
"I don't know if we can."  
"What?" Devon gazed at her cousin. **Snively here doesn't think I understand the risks. I know about them. We'll wait till Robotnik's gone. Simple as that. If only the fool wasn't so damn stubborn...he could leave with me and DaSilva when I get her deroboticized.**  
"Well, we'll wait until Fatman's gone."  
Snively slowly nodded. "Yes...we will."  
"So, uh, when does he leave?"  
"I'll check. Later."

The familiar clicking of keys stopped and Robotnik opened one eye to see Snively had stopped typing and was looking timidly at him.  
"What is it, Snively?" he growled.  
"Well, sir, I was just uh...wondering..."  
"Wondering what?" Robotnik's voice was a menacing snarl. It was like water drops falling into a pool, sending out ripples...when it fell on Snively's ears, it sent trembles all over his body.  
"Well, s-s-sir, I was just w-w-wondering if..."  
Robotnik's fingers tapped impatiently on the arm of his throne.  
"...if you were going anywhere, sir."  
Robotnik scowled. Why did Snively care if he was going anywhere? Suspicious as always, Robotnik stared hard at his nephew, but saw only a shivering little craven. **He hides things though, he hides them very well, I'm sure...**  
"Maybe, Snively, maybe." Robotnik's eyes narrowed into cruel slits. "And why are you so eager for my departure?"  
"I'm n-n-n-not. I was just w-w-w-wondering."  
Robotnik snorted. "There are consequences for every action, Snively, and if your action is backstabbing, then there will be severely BAD consequences for you."  
Snively's eyes widened in innocent surprise. "I wouldn't dream of backstabbing, sir!"  
A low growl was Robotnik's only response.

Two weeks later, Robotnik stood at the door of his red-and-black hovercraft. The doors to the hoverunit hangar were open. "I'm leaving now, Snively. I'll be back in two days."  
His lackey nodded.  
Robotnik leaned his face into his nephew's, snarling viciously. "Remember what I said about betraying me."  
"Of course, sir. There won't be any problems, sir."

Devon was leaning against the wall, and her hair blew wildly as Robotnik's hovercraft lifted up and sped off into the Robotropolis sky.  
"We're alone," she said.  
Snively raised his eyebrows. There was an unmistakable note of lust in her voice. She smiled widely, stretching her arms over her head...a lazy tiger.  
**Oh please, Devon. I can't be seduced.** He thought of what he was about to do. Risking his neck to deroboticize DaSilva at Devon's urgent pleading. **Fine. I take it back.**  
He eyed Devon's body, her generous chest, elegant neck, silken hair. He felt a few beads of sweat appear on his forehead. It wasn't that he didn't want her. He did want her. He wanted her bad. Right now his arms longed to slam her against the wall, his hands to touch, his mouth to kiss.  
But it couldn't happen. It couldn't. She was his cousin. She was taboo.  
Devon didn't think that. She didn't even think it would be incest...**fucking incest, for God's sake,** thought Snively angrily. She didn't deny her attraction to him. That was something Snively would never understand. He would never let on that he wanted to screw his cousin. It was disgusting to him. And besides, what did she see in him anyway? He wasn't handsome, wasn't charming, wasn't brave, wasn't buff, wasn't anything but a groveling bootlicker.  
"We're not alone," he said.  
Now Devon's eyebrow arched.  
"Commander Packbell," he said. "He's still here."  
The muscles in Devon's jaw tightened and Snively knew she was clenching her teeth behind her smile.  
"Will he bother us?"  
"Maybe," said Snively. "He gets off on hurting people. Without Robotnik around to restrain him, I keep away from him."

Devon remembered something Packbell had said...he had said it was 'arousing' to see Snively get beaten up by Robotnik. Sick.  
Snively was still talking. "And even if he does ignore us, we'll still have a problem."  
"What?"  
"Packbell always has DaSilva around him."  
"Always?" Devon frowned. "We only got two days, Sniv! We gotta do it!"  
He sighed heavily. "We will, Devon." He turned away, entering the main building. Inside, he pressed a touchpad on the wall. A small door slid open and Snively walked in.  
Devon stood outside uncertainly, as the door slid shut in her face. "Where is he going?" she said aloud, before hitting the touchpad and following her cousin.  
"Do you mind?" growled Snively. Devon smiled widely, seeing it was a bathroom. There was a toilet, a sink, and a urinal. The urinal had no little partitions around it, so there was nowhere Sniv could hide.  
"Nah," she said, watching him. "You go right ahead."  
He sighed, finished peeing, and turned his back on her. She chuckled as she heard his zipper close. She watched as he meticulously washed his hands, scrubbing soap onto each finger. Then he rinsed and carefully dried them off on a white towel that hung from the steel rack.  
She adjusted her low-cut tanktop, aware of her cousin's eyes on her. He stared for a split second, then pushed past her and out the door.  
"Well speak of the devil," she heard him mutter. He braked, and she, following, slammed into him.  
"And just what were you two doing in there?" A deep metal-edged voice asked. Devon recognized it instantly.  
"Shut up, Packbell," Snively said.  
The android was leaning against the hallway wall. The bathroom door slid shut behind them. "So Robotnik is gone, eh?"  
Snively silently nodded.  
"Well, isn't that nice?" Packbell too was silent for a moment. Then he lunged forward in a flash of black, his strong hand grasping Snively by the front of the shirt. A squeak escaped the little man's lips as Packbell raised him up, feet dangling six feet off the ground. "That means I can do whatever I want to you, Snively-ively-ively."  
Snively was trying to look unconcerned, but his eyes betrayed him, widening in fear as Packbell's hand closed on his groin. The fingers tightened, squeezing brutally hard, and Devon was enraged as she saw tears spring up in Snively's eyes.  
"Stop that!" she bellowed, kicking Packbell's leg.  
The android stumbled, dropping Snively, who doubled over, clutching his injury. Then he turned to Devon and grabbed her by the chin. She struggled as he pressed his lips to her, kissing roughly.  
Then he pulled away, laughing. "I'll see you two around. You can count on that." Still snickering, Packbell strode off.  
"You alright?" Devon knelt beside her cousin.  
"I'm fine," he squeaked. "Just give me a minute."

****************

Later...  
Packbell had been working dutifully in his lab for three and a half hours. DAS sat quietly in a chair beside him and every once in a while would get up to retrieve some tool or chemical or other such thing for Packbell.  
Snively was used to boring work, and had been watching intently for the whole three hours. Devon's eyelids were drooping. The thrill of spying on Packbell from the control room's surveillance monitors was wearing off. Or had worn off...Devon had been yawning for about an hour now.  
In that trio of hours, Packbell hadn't left the lab and hadn't allowed DaSilva to leave either.  
**We can't just walk in and say 'Howdy-do, Packbell, can we borrow DAS for a moment?' without him getting suspicious. Damn it, I'm telling Devon no. I'm not risking...**  
His thoughts were cut off as Packbell leaned backwards in his chair, his hand reaching out to press the intercom button.  
"Hey needlenose!"  
Sighing, Snively pressed the intercom button on the console. "Yes?"  
"I'm gonna go work in my other lab." That lab was outside the main egg-building, clear across the city.  
"All right."  
"If you try anything, Snively, it's your neck. Don't expect me to save you from Buttnik."  
"I've never expected that."  
"Good."  
Packbell released the 'com button and rose out of his chair. Part of him hoped Snively WOULD try something against Robotnik. Not only would Robotnik praise Packbell for discovering Snively's conniving deed, but he would also beat the crap out of Snively. **And that would be a fine show indeed**, thought the android.  
A few moments passed.  
Then Snively nudged his cousin. "Devon." He elbowed her harder. "Devon!"  
"Huh?" She lifted her head, blinking.  
"Look."  
She followed his pointing finger to the surveillance monitors. She saw Packbell was gone, and DaSilva had remained seated in the chair.  
"Where is he?"  
"To his other lab on the other side of the city." Snively sighed again. "It's our chance. We'd better take it."  
Devon seemed to be having second thoughts. "But won't...won't you get in trouble?"  
"Don't worry about that."  
"All right." But she was worried. Her eyes showed that plainly.

The deroboticizer was in Robotnik's bedroom. It was in the secret room in the closet. In the palace days, Snively suspected it was a get-away tunnel for the king. But Robotnik had blocked off the tunnel, thus turning it into a hidden room.  
There it was in all its glory, standing glass and upright in the secret room. It was even hooked up. It looked just like a roboticizer tube.  
"Well, well," said Snively softly. "There you are, my pretty." He turned his slightly-awed azure eyes to Devon. "God, if Robotnik caught me here...he'd kill me. He'd do worse than kill me, Devon, he'd... You know, because this is his...sin, he calls it. Building this is his sin. But he can't bear to destroy it. So he hid it."  
Devon looked at it doubtfully. "Are you sure this thing will work?"  
"No. It's a prototype. Hasn't even been tested." He tapped his fingers against the glass. "Let's go get DAS."

"Come on, DaSilva," said Devon to the cold-faced robot.  
DAS stared at her coolly and moved not an inch.  
"Come on, please," pleaded Devon. "It's for your own good!"  
Snively pushed his cousin aside. "DAS, I order you to follow me."  
"I was instructed by Commander Packbell to remain here."  
"Override that command. Follow me."  
"Verify yourself."  
He sighed. "Snively."  
She remained silent for a moment. "Subject: Snively-- rank 002, Packbell rank 003. 003 command overridden." She stood up.  
"Good," smirked the little man. He turned to Devon. "Come on."

"All right, DAS," commanded Snively. "Step in there."  
DaSilva obediently stepped into the tube.  
Devon crossed her fingers as Snively crouched down to study the buttons on the deroboticizer. "All right. Here goes..."  
"Everything," finished Devon.  
A purple light filled the tube, engulfing DaSilva. She stood placidly. The light turned white.  
Devon squinted her eyes, tears of pain filling them. The light was so bright...so hot. Then a scream burst from the tube.  
Devon gasped. "What's wrong with her?"  
Snively shrugged, looking calm even as another scream ripped through the air. "It's probably normal."  
A computerized voice spoke. "Deroboticization complete."  
With a hiss of steam, the tube opened. Slumped up against the wall was DaSilva. Her flesh, her hair, her clothes were wet. "Owwww," she whimpered. "Ow, what happened? I remember...being a robot and not being able to control..."  
"Das!" shouted Devon, pulling her sister out. "You're human!"  
Baffled, DaSilva pinched the moist skin on her hand. "Are you sure?"  
"Of course! Look at yourself!"  
DaSilva turned to Snively. "I guess I should thank you..."  
"Don't."  
She scowled, beads of liquid dripping from her hair. "Still a hardass, eh?"  
He smiled thinly. "Yes, I'm the same as ever."  
"Ugly. Bald. Skinny. A wuss. Yes, I see."  
He frowned, while Devon nudged her. "Das, he risked a lot to save you."  
"That's alright, Devon. I'm used to ungrateful people." Snively promptly turned and left.  
"I think you hurt his feelings," said Devon quietly.  
DaSilva laughed softly. "Snively? Feelings? Please, Devon, that guy's cold as a block of ice."  
"You're wrong, Das."  
Pleading, DaSilva changed the subject. "Let's just get out of here, Devon."  
"Ok. But wait here a minute." Devon left the room and ran down the hall to catch up with Snively.  
They walked side by side for a silent moment.  
"Snively, she didn't really mean..."  
He waved her statement away. "I don't care, Devon. I did it for you, not her. I could care less about her."  
"That's not true either!"  
"You're right," he said shortly. Then he stopped and looked shrewdly at her. "Look, Devon, you have to leave. It's very dangerous for you here."  
"But..."  
"No buts about it. You're going. I'll show you and Das a secret way out."  
"Why don't we just walk out?"  
"You may think you have the run of the mill, but Robotnik instructed the SWATbots in the lower levels to stun and capture you on sight. He doesn't intend you to leave, my dear."  
She frowned.  
"You stay here, and he's going to hurt you. Either him or Packbell. DaSilva HAS to leave. She's deroboticized, and if Robotnik sees that, I'm dead. She can't stay. And I know you wouldn't let her go by herself."  
She gripped his hand hard. "I don't want to leave without you."  
His eyes widened. "Devon, don't start..."  
"But Robotnik hurts you. He is cruel to you, Snively. He's awful. Why do you want to stay?"  
"You and DaSilva are going. I'm staying. End of story."  
"Why are you so stubborn? Why won't you..."  
"All right!" snapped Snively, deciding to lie. "I'll meet you out there. You two go out the secret way. I'll meet you on the wasteland between Robotropolis and the forest."  
Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Thank you."

Devon and DaSilva stood on a slope of gray land that looked upon the sprawling mass of Robotropolis. Behind them lay the pristine forest. Well...not exactly pristine. The trees and bushes were a bit withered and wilted this close to the city.  
"So where's your lover?" asked DaSilva.  
"I don't know. He said he'd be here."  
DaSilva groaned, sitting down. "Do I look fat?"  
Devon looked at her sister startled. "Fat?"  
"Yeah."  
"No. Of course not."  
"I feel so...heavy. My arms and legs and stuff."  
"You're just tired."  
"But I don't feel tired, Devon. I just feel heavy. More powerful."  
Devon frowned. "Well, it's probably just a side effect or something."  
DaSilva scratched her arm while looking towards the city. "Does my skin feel weird to you---oh!"  
"What?" Devon glanced to the city, and saw a few SWATbots running towards them, laser rifles in hand.  
"What the hell?" Devon frowned.  
"Run!"  
"But Snively...."  
"Who cares!"  
Blue energy raced towards them, spat out from the mouths of the rifles. One bolt hit Devon's leg. "Ow!" She looked down. She was uninjured, but the blast had hurt.  
More painful blasts hit them. They ran, heading for the forest.  
"God!" Devon gasped as they fled. DaSilva had never before matched her speed, never ever exceeded her speed, and now Das was far ahead of her, leaping over logs and weaving through trees.  
"Hey, wait up!"  
DaSilva looked back, her eyes wide, her lips curved in a smile. "Man, Devon, you getting slower?"  
"No! You're faster!" She frowned as she increased her pace. Something was not right....

Snively watched on the surveillance monitors as DaSilva and Devon disappeared into the trees. "SWATbots," he spoke into the COM link. "Return to stations. Reset lasers to kill."  
The lead bot droned an obedient note and they headed back. Snively smiled in satisfaction. The 'bots had a pain blast on their rifles, one that hurt, but did not damage, and this is what Snively had made them use.  
The SWATs had effectively driven away his two cousins. Hopefully, they'd stay away. He didn't want their roboticization-or death-on his conscience.

*************

The next day, Snively went out to greet Robotnik's hovercraft. Its touchdown wind nearly blew the little lackey over, but he managed to keep his balance as the doors to the craft slid open.  
His immense bulk swaying on two stump-like legs, Doctor Robotnik appeared through the doors.  
"Good morning, sir! Did you have a nice trip?"  
Robotnik turned his creepy eyes on Snively. "No, Snively, I did not. I found nothing."  
Snively nodded sympathetically. "Oh, that's too bad, sir."  
"Were there any problems?"  
"Well, sir..."  
"There were-ARGHHH!! I can't trust you for two fuc..."  
"Let me finish, sir!" interrupted Snively, carefully keeping the irritation out of his voice. He hated when Robotnik did this...never letting him finish his sentences. So many times had Snively been punched or slapped or whatnot because the beginning of his statement sounded bad. Then when he finally did finish, it was usually something good or at least pleasing to Robotnik, but Robotnik never apologized for hitting him. Never.  
Robotnik waited.  
"There was a freedom fighter sighting, but they didn't accomplish anything. In fact, they ran away from a SWATbot patrol. However, Devon managed to escape during the ruckus."  
Robotnik growled softly. "No matter." His hand, which had been clenched in a fist, slowly loosened. With that, Robotnik swept past him, yellow cape flowing, and disappeared into the main building.  
"Whew," sighed Snively. "I'm glad that's over."

But it wasn't over, of course.  
A few hours later, Snively was boredly watching the surveillance monitors, while Robotnik slouched in his throne, muttering to himself. Snively was thinking of going to get a cup of coffee, when the doors of the command room slid open.  
In ran the big android. He stopped before the throne. "Doctor Robotnik."  
"What is it, Packbell?"  
Snively's shoulders tensed as he turned to watch Packbell. His stomach felt queasy...he knew this would not be good.  
"'Bot DAS102 is missing, sir. I've looked everywhere for her."  
"Is it possible she's regained her will?"  
"Not that I know of, Doctor. She was under my watch the entire time." The android looked baffled. "Except of course, when I went to work in my other lab. I left her in here."  
Robotnik frowned a little.  
"But you know what else, Doctor? When I returned from my lab and found her missing, I went searching for her. I called up Snively; he said he hadn't seen her. But I think he had."  
Snively kept his face as calm as possible, but his hands were starting to shake. **Oh God, no. Packbell knows...**  
"I was passing by your room, sir. You know, along that hallway, and I found wet tracks on the floor. It was an odd clear substance."  
Snively groaned silently as he remembered after DaSilva's derobotization, she had been wet. Covered with moisture...undoubtedly that clear liquid. It must have been she who left the tracks. His hands shook harder, and he felt sweat pop out all over his forehead...he knew where this was heading. Straight to the deroboticizer!  
"I brought some of the substance back to my lab, and I analyzed it," continued Packbell. "Now...I don't know, since it's never been tested and all...but I'd say it's residue that would condense on a creature after being in the...deroboticizer. It contains..."  
But Robotnik cut him off with a bellow of "WHAT?!!!"  
"Yes sir," said Packbell, throwing a smirk in Snively's direction. "It's true. DaSilva is deroboticzed. She and her sister both musta taken off." His finger pointed at Snively. "And HE helped them."  
Robotnik rose from his chair and stood for a moment, chest heaving. His eyes blazed scarlet.  
Trembling shook Snively's entire body now as Robotnik's enraged stare fell on him. The fat man advanced on him. Snively's back was hard against the computer console, but he kept pushing backwards, as if he thought he could melt into it.  
"You used my deroboticizer...?" Robotnik's voice was a low rumble. It was full of anger, hatred, and disgust. He hated even saying the word, he hated thinking about the machine in action...his sin in action.  
Snively whimpered, sweat stinging his eyes. He weakly shook his head, hopelessly denying the accusation. "No no no, please..."  
"You used my deroboticizer?!" Robotnik's voice rose into a shriek of absolute rage. "You snuck in my room MY ROOM and used my deroboticizer?!"  
Lungs aching as he struggled for breath, Snively couldn't answer. His knees went suddenly weak and he sank down to the floor. "S...s....sir..." He managed a whisper. "No..."  
Robotnik was directly in front of him now, his fists clenching and unclenching. "I can't believe you would DARE! How dare you, Snively?! I warned you! I warned you!"  
Snively stared up at his master, vision blurry-he realized his eyes were filled with frightened tears. A thin almost animal-like whimper filled his ears, and he vaguely recognized it as his own. He cowered away from Robotnik...from the huge hand that was reaching towards him. The hand grabbed him, hard around the throat, lifting him clear off the ground.  
"Please, noooo! Sir, PLEASE!!" he managed to shriek, as Robotnik drew back an iron-hard fist.

Uncle Chuck had never liked Snively. He was an enemy-he was a conniving little bastard. But still, he winced as his red eyes took in the scene. He was lying belly-down, peering through the air duct grate. He had never liked Snively, but he did feel empathy for him now.  
The cracks, the thuds, the short wheezy notes of breathlessness and pain as Robotnik beat his nephew till he bruised, till he bled, till he broke, were not sweet music to Chuck's ears. When Snively was not crying or screaming out his agony he was pleading with his uncle to have mercy, to please stop, to please forgive him, please please PLEASE!  
But none of Snively's desperate pleas touched Robotnik. Grunting, with sweat shining on his bald egg-like head, Robotnik's fists, his feet, his elbows, any part of him that could damage did just that-they damaged his wretched little lackey. Even when Snively finally fainted, Robotnik continued to pummel his tiny body.  
At last Robotnik was done. He slumped in his throne, breathing heavily. But his eyes were calm.  
Packbell looked down at Snively's limp body with an amused smile. He lay unmoving where Robotnik had dropped him. The little man was wrecked. Blood dripping from his mouth into a crimson puddle on the floor. Lots of it. Broken bones. And bruises everywhere. His breathing labored in a raspy whisper.  
The android crouched, looking closely at Snively, then glanced over at Robotnik. "I think he's dying, sir."  
Robotnik's eyes moved to Snively. "Dying?"  
Packbell looked back down at the lackey, his eyes lit up evilly. "Well sir, you slammed him pretty hard into the edge of that console. Right in the belly. You probably ruptured a whole bunch of things. He's got internal bleeding pretty bad. Heh heh." The android laughed.  
Robotnik growled. "Take him down to the infirmary then. Have the MediBots fix him up."  
Packbell was playing with one of Snively's fingers. It was broken, and the way it could bend backwards until it touched the wrist was quite amusing. "Are you sure, sir? Why not just let him die?"  
"Do it, Packbell."  
"Of course, sir." Packbell scooped up the limp body.

Chuck sighed as Packbell left the room. **Just let the poor creature die.** If he was down there, he would've snapped Snively's neck, right there. A mercy killing. It was better for him if he never woke up.  
But Chuck wasn't down there, so there was no use worrying over it. He shook his head, clearing away those thoughts. New thoughts replaced them, and these new thoughts made him smile. Robotnik had given away his secret.  
'You snuck in my room and used my deroboticizer?!' he had said. The deroboticizer was in Robotnik's room! Chuck almost laughed with pleasure. It was wonderful.  
**A great discovery! I have to tell the others!**

-Clank-clank-crack- The trees rustled loudly, but Tails's sharp ears had caught the sound; metallic feet breaking small twigs. Lounging on the lookout tower, he quickly went from relaxed to alert.  
"SWATbots?" he whispered, standing up. Into the clearing walked a familiar robot. Tails sighed.  
"Uncle Chuck!" He waved.  
The robotic hedgehog looked up and waved back. "Well, hey there, Tails my boy!"  
Twirling his tails, the kitsune flew down and landed before Uncle Chuck. "Uncle Chuck, what are you doing here?"  
"I have something very important to tell you, too important to send in a message."  
Tails frowned. "But won't you missed at your station?"  
"Don't worry about that. Snively's the one who patrols those factories, and he's uh...not feeling well."  
"Ok," said Tails. He pitched his voice as deep as he could. "Shall I escort you to KnotHole?"  
"But of course, dear sir."

"Order! Order!" Sally banged her gavel on the podium. The din in the meeting hall slowly quieted. "That's better."  
The princess smiled a little. "Now Sir Charles has an important announcement! He came all the way out here to give it-and I expect you to respect that and keep quiet!" She stood aside to let Charles to the podium.  
The metallic hedgehog strode up to the podium. He leaned on it and stood for a few minutes. He cleared his throat.  
"I'm waitiiiiing..." Sonic's well-known phrase rang out.  
Chuck laughed. "That's my Soni. Can't wait for anything!" He tapped his fingers on the podium. "Well, I might as well just say it."  
The crowd waited.  
"I think I've located..."  
The crowd leaned forward slightly.  
"...the..."  
The crowd was practically drooling.  
"...deroboticizer..."  
The crowd screamed. The crowd laughed. The crowed yelled, "WHAT?!"  
The gavel pounded hard on the podium. "Quiet!" bellowed Sally, who was leaning past an amused looking Uncle Chuck.  
It took a few moments, but the crowd settled down. Until Sonic yelled, "Past Cool Unc!" Then the cheering started up again. Sonic smiled meekly as Sally's dagger-like gaze sought him out.  
A few more bangs quieted them.  
Chuck turned the gavel over and over in his hands. "The key word is THINK. I think I found it." His eyes wandered over his hands. I hope...I pray I found it.  
"Did you see it?"  
"No."  
"Then how do you know?"  
"Yeah!"  
"How can you be sure?"  
"Well," interrupted Chuck, "You remember how Robotnik had those nieces over? Anyway, he roboticized one of them. I guess the other niece was begging Snively to undo it. So he found the deroboticizer and I assume he used it. But Robotnik found out and he...well, let's just say Snively's in pretty bad shape."  
"But where ees eet?" Antoine's voice was impatient. He glanced over at Bunnie, whose eyes were riveted to Chuck, her mouth partially open. Her organic hand was trembling slightly.  
"Well, you know how Robotnik yells and hollers when he gets mad, right?"  
"Yeah, so?"  
"Well, he was yelling at Snively and he yelled out that the deroboticizer was in his room! He said 'You snuck in my room and used my deroboticizer?'"  
"His bedroom?" asked Rotor.  
"The way he was saying it, I think so."  
"But how can we get into ole 'Buttnik's bedroom?"  
"Well, we'll have to come up with a plan, Sonny."

Four days had passed and it was the night before the plan would take place. Sally was lying awake in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. **It's not really much of a plan**, she thought anxiously. **It leave so much room for chance, it speculates too much!**  
Part A of the plan was the lengthiest and the riskiest. It involved making minor disturbances, maybe a few explosions, over the span of four hours. This was to keep Robotnik on the edge of his seat...to keep his attention focused outside.  
**But what if something goes wrong? What if we're captured? Killed?** Sally's thoughts spun as she imagined Tails without them, losing his guardians once again. Then she chided herself for worrying. **Sally, it's no more dangerous than any other mission. We've gotten through plans far more riskier than this one. This is a piece of cake.**  
In Sonic's hut, there had been no restlessness. Though excited, Sonic knew the importance of sleep, and was snoring loudly. His thoughts before sleeping had been light, carefree. It would be a fun, exciting mission. Plenty of speed, plenty of making Robotnik furious. And the end result...a derobotized Uncle Chuck living at KnotHole with them. A wide smile stretched across the dreaming hedgehog's face.  
Bunnie was sitting in her chair, gazing out the window. The wind gently fondled her ears and headfur. She sighed deeply, breathing in the night air, the smell of earth, of plants, of life. Her gaze moved to her roboticized arm, and she flexed her fingers.  
Soon flesh would cover the limb, stretched over bone. Blood would flow through it. Thick fur would replace cold metal.  
**But mah strength will be gone. What if...what if they resent me fer doin' this? Fer givin' up mah strength? Am Ah bein' selfish? Wantin' to look purty again instead of keepin' mah strength against Robotnik.** She sighed again, this time the sigh was drawn out and strained.  
If only there was a way to have both. Incredible strength, natural beauty. She hated to lose any advantage against Robotnik...but she had waited so long for this. It wasn't fair. **Why do Ah have to make this decision? Why is it so hard? Ah can't stay like this. Ah need to be flesh.**  
**But what about them? The Freedom Fighters. Without mah strength, Ah'm nothin'. Tails gots his flyin'. Sonic's got his speed. Sally-girl, well that girl is smart as they come. Rotor's a genius. But little ole me...Ah got nothing. Ah'll be nothin' without these metal parts.**  
She leaned her head wearily against the windowsill, knowing she should rest. But there would be little sleep for Bunnie Rabbot that night.  
With her tail wrapped firmly around a tree branch, the young dragon Dulcy slept soundly. She had no worries, no fears. It was like her ma had always said. "Everything will be fine, dear. Everything will be fine."

Oh, what a thing was pain! It could bring the strongest man to his knees, wailing...and he was not the strongest in any respects.  
He had always wondered...why did pain drag on and on? **After the initial stab of pain, the first screaming of your body, you know you're injured. You know. There's no need for your body to keep reminding you.** Snively thought bitterly as he limped down the hallway. He was heading towards the command room, but stopped to lean against the wall, panting noisily. It had been days, but his body hurt so bad.  
He dug in his pockets and pulled out a handful of pills. He transferred four of them to his right hand and swallowed them. His left hand dumped the rest of the painkillers back into his pocket.  
He had to be careful. "No strenuous activity," the MediBots had said. No running, no fighting, no jumping, no lifting, no being hit, etc... That kind of activity not only would cause him pain, but it could possibly rip out the stitches that held together his damaged insides.  
It was stifling inside his uniform; he was just recovering from a high fever. And his body whimpered from the bruises that covered nearly every inch of his skin. His broken fingers were in splints, his broken ribs taped up, but most of the damage had been to his flesh, not bones. And his pride had suffered as well.  
The command room door was open and Snively heard voices from within.  
"That's the second disturbance in this half hour. What are they up to, Commander?"  
Packbell's arrogant voice rang out. "I have no idea. But they haven't done any damage. Not yet." The android looked towards the door. "Well, well. Look who it is."  
Robotnik swiveled his chair around. "Ah, Snively. I see you're not dead, after all."  
"Resilient little fuck, isn't he?" said Packbell.  
"That's the wonder of the human body," crooned Robotnik. "It can take so much damage, and still go on functioning. It can heal vast amounts of injury."  
Normally, Snively would've glared at Packbell, but today he didn't have the spirit to do so. He merely stood silently, head bowed, as Robotnik and Packbell scrutinized his 'wondrous' body. It wasn't nearly so amazing to him. Healing hurt. He popped a few more pills while waiting for his commands.  
Packbell's head swiveled towards a surveillance monitor where a small alarm bleeped. "There's been an explosion. Wait a minute while I check SWATbot patrols."  
He talked over the com link for a few moments. "Seems that the explosion didn't do any damage."  
"Well, that's good," said Robotnik. He tapped his fingers on the edge of his throne. "What are they up to?" He looked over at Snively again. "Those blasted Freedom Fighters are running around here."  
"What are they doing, sir?"  
"Well, that's just it. They're not doing anything."  
"Not doing anything, sir?" Snively echoed.  
Robotnik growled. "That's what I said. They're only causing disturbances."  
Snively was too tired to think, but still, the obvious answer popped into his head. **They're distractions, of course. To divert his attention away from something else.** He considered saying this, but decided not to. **Screw Robotnik. He's the one who did this to me. I hope the fatass gets slaughtered.**  
"Shall I send SWATbots after them?" asked Packbell.  
Robotnik steepled his fingers in front of his chin. "Oh no, Commander. Let's wait a while for that. But send SpyEyes after them."  
"Righty-o, sir." Packbell ordered a few of the floating surveillance cameras to find the group and follow them.  
"So, how are you feeling?" asked Robotnik of his nephew.  
"Oh, just peachy," snapped the little man. "I feel great. No thanks to you."  
Robotnik growled angrily. "How dare you!?" He raised a fist.  
Snively stepped backwards. "You can't hit me, sir. The MediBots said."  
"Do I look like I care?"  
"It'll probably kill him," said Packbell from near the console. He laughed loudly. "That'd be amusing. But then you wouldn't have a stress-reliever, Doctor."  
"True," grunted Robotnik. He lowered his grinned...he had finally obtained that bitter glare of hatred from Snively.  
Robotnik chuckled. "Come out, come out wherever you are, hedgehog..."

"Dammit!" Devon kicked a log viciously. It rolled over and lay belly-up. Wet leaves clung to it, and in the spot where it had lain, small salamanders scurried to hide from the sunlight.  
DaSilva replaced the log as Devon kicked a sapling. The small tree quivered and bent under the onslaught.  
"Calm down," said DaSilva.  
"He tricked me! He lied!"  
"Well, that's Snively for ya." DaSilva looked amused. "Oh, come on, Devon. You didn't really believe him? I knew he wouldn't come with us."  
"But why?" asked Devon, her voice suddenly choked.  
"Because you're too soft," said DaSilva.  
"What?"  
"Look, Devon....Snively...he's...well, he needs abuse. He's addicted to it. It doesn't matter if it hurts. It's like a druggie. They know it's bad...but they can't get enough."  
Devon shook her head. "But he doesn't like being hit! He said it himself. He's terrified of Robotnik."  
"It doesn't matter! He might not know it, but he craves that abuse. It's his security, you know. If Robotnik was suddenly all nice and stuff, what would Sniv do? He'd be lost. He wouldn't know what to do. He's the type that needs to be dominated."  
Devon shook her head in denial, but deep inside, she had a feeling DaSilva was right. "I can't leave him."  
"You can't be nice to him if you want him to come with us. You have to be cruel."  
Devon frowned. **Well...it's true. He isn't used to kindness. He doesn't respond to it. Meanness is familiar to him. God, DaSilva the psychiatrist. Maybe she's right.**  
"Fine. Next time I see him, I'll force him to come with us."  
"If YOU see him," said DaSilva. "I'm not going anywhere near that city again." Suddenly dizzy, she sat down. "God...I feel so damn weird."  
"Weird how?  
"I still have that heavy feeling. And my skin feels strange. It's like...not my skin. It's like someone else's skin stuck on my body."  
Devon frowned again.**Sure, Das. Whatever.**

**********************

Sonic and Sally were standing near a dumpster, peering out at a SWATbot factory.  
"There's a SpyEye behind us, Sal," whispered Sonic. "Want me to trash it?"  
"Not yet," said Sally. She raised her voice. "Ok, Sonic, let's wreck this factory!" She turned around and gasped at seeing the SpyEye. "Oh no, Sonic. Do you think he heard us?"  
Sonic covered a grin. "Gosh, I don't know Sal." He quickly destroyed the SpyEye.  
The two friends laughed.

SpyEye 104 was down and Packbell growled at the static-filled surveillance monitor. "Did you hear that, sir? They're going to attack SWATbot factory #4."  
Robotnik snarled. "Get some SWATbots down there and ambush them." He paused. "Add some MegaMuck units to that order."  
"You want fries with that, too?" Snively muttered.  
"Wait. I want that factory surrounded with 'bots. Wait till they're inside. I want those little brats captured, Commander!"  
"They're not going to attack the factory," said Snively, matter-of-factly. "It's a diversion."  
"Shut up, Snively." Robotnik sounded irritated.  
Packbell thought that maybe the lackey was right. The whole exchange between the hedgehog and the princess sound so fakey. And they just happened to notice the SpyEye after revealing their plans? Hmmmm. But he would never admit that Snively could be right.  
"Yeah," he said. "Shut up."  
The Fat One smiled. "This time, hedgehog. This time you're mine."

****************

In actuality, Sonic and Sally weren't even close to the SWATbot factory. They were on the outskirts of the city. Earlier that day, they had planted explosive charges in the SWATbot factory, as well as the water refinery, which was across the city from the factory.  
Meanwhile, Bunnie had slipped into the air ducts of the Death Egg and was crouched above the grate that led down into Robotnik's bedroom. She glanced at her watch. And waited.  
"All right," said Sonic. "Deeeeeestraction Number One!!"  
"Now Nicole," said Sally.  
"Detonating, Sally."

The charges in the water refinery exploded. Alarms lit up in the Death Egg's control room.  
"Sir, an explosion!" yelled Packbell.  
"Capture them!" bellowed Robotnik. He glared at Snively. "So, they're not going to attack, eh?"  
"It wasn't the factory," said Packbell. "It's the water refinery."  
"What?" growled Robotnik, as Snively smirked. "Get those SWATbots and MegaMuck units down there NOW!!"  
"Right away, Doctor."  
When the troops had almost reached the water refinery, the SWATbot factory exploded.  
"Sir, now the factory's gone."  
"NO!! That's not possible!!" screamed Robotnik, his face creasing into ugly folds. He leapt out of his chair and stamped his feet angrily. "Get them, Commander!! Or I'll rip out your motherboard!!!"  
Packbell nodded and turned back to the console.  
Snively was trying to stifle laughter, both at Robotnik's ridiculous dancing and the fact that Packbell was in trouble. He skittered backwards as Robotnik whirled around, cape flying. "You think this is funny?!" he shrieked.  
"Um...no, sir..." The lackey said, but he ended his statement with a giggle.  
Robotnik clenched a fist. "You'd better not be, Snively." His voice turned into a whiny sneer. "Don't you think I won't hit you because the 'MediBots said'." So saying, he backhanded his nephew across the face. Snively stumbled and almost fell over; the force of the blow was so strong. He raised a hand to his reddening cheek and stared up at his uncle fearfully.  
But Robotnik was done for the moment. His fatness slumped into the throne once again.

Bunnie heard the two explosions. She clamped her robotic hand over the grate and ripped it off. She carefully lowered herself down into Robotnik's bedroom. Not only had Sonic and Sally set up charges in the factory and water refinery, but they had put them all over the city as well, some in vital places, some just in dumpsters and scrap heaps. All this was to keep Robotnik's attention outside, away from her, and her part of the plan.  
She took out a black cloth and draped it over the surveillance camera on the wall. Now the surveillance monitor in the control room would be a black screen, making it appear to be turned off.  
She opened the window and whistled sharply. Moments later, the snout and head of a dragon came through, followed by the rest of Dulcy. She wore a bulky harness that jingled from numerous unbuckled straps.  
"Ok, Dulce. Ya ready?"  
Bunnie opened the closet door. Quickly, she ran her hands over the wall, chuckling as she found the secret door. She pulled it open and stepped into the secret room, gasping at the sight of the deroboticizer. But she wasted no time in admiring. "Come on, Dulcy!"  
The dragoness trotted into the room. "Wow! That thing looks like a roboticizer. You sure it isn't one?" The dragon looked nervous. "I mean...what if this whole thing is a trick, and Robotnik is just trying to get us to roboticize our own?"  
"True," admitted the rabbot. "But still...it seems like a whole lotta trouble jest to roboticize one. An' Ah really don't think he'd want one of 'is precious machines taken....even if it was fer a trick."  
The dragon nodded and leaned her belly against the tube. Bunnie picked up the straps that hung from the left side of the harness. She brought them around the deroboticizer and buckled them into the right side. Then she unhooked the plugs and other wiring that held the deroboticizer down.  
"Ok, sugah. Try an' lift it."  
The dragon heaved backwards. The deroboticizer lifted off the ground. She teetered for a moment, then stood steadily. Cautiously, she bounced on her feet a little. "It's holding good," she said. "Rotor did a good job on this here harness."  
"Yep. He shore did. It ain't too heavy?"  
"Nope. But let's get outta here. This place is creepy!"  
"Couldn't agree with ya more, sugah." Bunnie scrambled up Dulcy's back and sat in the saddle.  
With the deroboticizer strapped to her belly, Dulcy looked silly as she waddled towards the window and ungracefully dove out into the air. "Ack!" She struggled for a moment; the added weight of the deroboticizer and Bunnie dragged her down. But she pumped her wings harder and managed to gain altitude.  
"You ok, hon?"  
"Yeah."  
"All right."  
Dulcy sailed through the thickest smog clouds to avoid being spotted. She coughed a little. "Next stop...KnotHole!"

**************

Later that night, Robotnik was working in one of his labs on some devious plan or another. Packbell was scanning the surveillance monitors. He was alone in the command room.  
He gazed at the camera that looked down into the cells. A young preteen fox was held captive, pacing the room. Her red fur gleamed dully, like copper, in the low light. She had a soft plump belly, long legs, a lush tail. Her chest was just starting to develop. Packbell licked his lips and stared at the screen with a lust and a malice that would've given the poor girl a heart attack if she'd seen his eyes.  
"Hey, little girl," he half-sang, half-mumbled. "Hey, little girl, is your daddy home? Did he go and leave you all alone? I've got a bad desire. Ohhh, I'm on fire." He swayed on his feet, putting his hands up to the girl's image. "Tell me now, baby, is he good to you? Can he do to you the things that I do? I can take you higher. Ohhh, I'm on fire..."  
He smiled as his voice trailed off. What a good song...simple, powerful. He didn't remember where he'd heard it. It was old though...very ancient. Maybe he'd heard Snively singing it before. The little freak knew an astonishing amount of those ancient Earth songs.  
While he was trying to remember the rest of the lyrics, Packbell's eyes moved to the monitor that surveyed Robotnik's room.  
**Hmmm....now why is that turned off?** Packbell reached for the switch that would turn on the monitor. His finger hit it. It didn't go up. He looked down at it. The switch was already up. The monitor was already ON.  
"What the hell?" Packbell frowned deeply, and decided to check it out. Upon reaching Robotnik's room, he found the black cloth and peering into the deroboticizer room (which he knew about), he reeled backwards, stunned. Then he raced down the hallway as fast as his metal legs could carry him.

The android's hand pressed upon the touchpad, and the doors to Snively's room slid open. The 'droid stomped in, and looked at Snively. The little man was sleeping, his arms wrapped around his pillow, his legs tangled in the bed sheets. A puddle of drool, tinged a slight red, was staining the pillow.  
**How unorganized**, thought Packbell. When he slept, he lay on his back, arms crossed over his chest. When he woke up, he was in the same position. It was neat. Orderly.  
Scratch and Grounder had caught him sleeping once. When he woke up they laughed at him, saying, "Blah, blah!" and "What a lovely neck you have!" Packbell finally got the hint when they shook garlic powder in his direction and had responded snootily, "Come now, I DON'T sleep in a coffin!"  
**They're stupid anyway**, he thought. He reached out and grabbed Snively by the front of the bathrobe he always slept in and yanked him up. Snively screamed and his eyes flew open, looking at Packbell dazedly. He blinked rapidly a few times.  
"Packbell? What the...what the hell do you want?"  
"It's gone, Snively. How did they know?! It's gone!"  
"What's gone?" Snively coughed dryly and reached for his water glass. But Packbell hit the glass away. It fell on the floor and shattered. Snively looked annoyed.  
"The deroboticizer."  
Like blue marbles, Snively's eyes grew wide and round. "No..."  
"Yes." Packbell's voice deepened into a growl. "How did the Freedom Fighters know? That's what they were diverting, wasn't it? Did you tell them where it was?"  
"What? Tell them? Are you nuts?!" Snively yanked his robe out of Packbell's grip and slumped against the headboard, glaring.  
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But you're not exactly trustworthy, you conniving little prick. You hate Robotnik."  
"Yes, but I hate the Freedom Fighters too. I hate them more."  
"Do you think..." Packbell grabbed at Snively again, his hands clamping on the lackey's shoulders. Snively winced in pain. "Do you think it was your cousins? Maybe they told the animals."  
"Dammit, Packbell, stop touching me."  
"Why? Does it hurt?"  
"Yes...and I don't like it. You're always grabbing me. You always have your hands on me...fucking pervert."  
"Oh," Packbell crooned. "It's because I like you, Snively-ively." He flicked his tongue and Snively scowled, pulling away.  
"Anyway," said the 'droid, becoming serious again. "I'm thinking of telling Robotnik. He's down in his lab. He's going to have a shit fit."  
"Tell me about it."  
Packbell grinned. "So nonchalant? You know who the blame'll fall on." He smoothed back his hair.  
"Oh, piss off. You won't tell...it's your fault too! You were the one after the Freedom Fighters and you lost them!"  
"But NeedleNose...haven't you learned by now? Or is that skull of yours thicker than I first thought?" He banged his knuckles on Snively's head. "He NEVER blames me."  
Snively looked troubled. "Dumb bastard, but...you're right."  
"Of course."  
"He can't hit me though."  
Packbell laughed loudly, kicking around the shattered remains of the glass. "Puh-leese. I don't think he cares about you and your stitched-up guts. He'll gladly kill you when he finds out about this. Say...can I see your stitches?"  
"No." Snively frowned. "He won't kill me. I'm his 'stress-reliever', remember? I'm the only one he can take out his anger on."  
"What a reason to live," sighed Packbell, in mock-sadness. "How touching that you put Robotnik's well-being first. But I really should go tell him now."  
"Wait. Give me some time. I'll get it back."  
Once again, the android's lips curled upwards into a cruel smile. "Two days."  
"Four."  
"Two."  
"Four!"  
"It's two, NeedleNose. Get it back or get it, get it?"  
The android left the room, leaving Snively to stare at the wall, contemplating. "Oh great," he growled softly. "Just fucking great. Owww..." He put his hand to his chest. His broken ribs hurt. His fingers shrieked inside their splints.  
He grabbed for the Jumbo bottle of painkillers on the night table and shook about eight or so into his hand. He cursed on remembering his water was in a puddle on the floor, spread out amidst the broken glass. **That stupid prick. This is all his fault.**  
He ended up dry-swallowing them. The last one got stuck and refused to go down, adding a sore throat to the rest of his aching body.

The next day...  
Bunnie was bouncing around eagerly, while Rotor fiddled with the wires of the deroboticizer.  
"Ya almost finished, Rotor?"  
"Be patient, Bunnie," said Rotor, a rare note of irritation in his voice. Geoffrey marked down a tally line on a piece of paper; it was the fifteenth time she'd asked in the last half hour.  
"Right-o, Mrs. Rabbot...ya really need ta calm yerself down, mate."  
"Aw, shut up, stinkbomb," said Sonic, who was outside, leaning on the windows sill, looking in.  
Geoffrey looked towards the window and moved as if to close the shutters in Sonic's face.  
"WILL YOU GUYS STOP IT?!" hollered Rotor.  
They jumped in surprise and three sheepish faces, one light tan, one black and white, and one blue, stared at the normally calm walrus.  
Rotor took off his cap and rubbed his head. "Sorry. But you guys are driving me crazy. And the wiring on this is complex."  
"Loud mouth Geoffrey St. Jerk is sorry," said Sonic. "Heh heh."  
Geoffrey clenched his teeth to keep from snapping back, and even Bunnie rolled her eyes-that Sonic, always had to get the last word.  
"All right," said Rotor. Bunnie's ears perked up. "You guys, come on. Just go off and play for a while, ok? Please?"  
"Oh, all right, sugah," Bunnie sighed. "Come on, Geoff."  
"See ya later, Rote." Sonic zoomed off.

"Well, we've already gotten a SWATbot factory AND the water refinery. That's pretty good." Sally was lying lazily under an oak tree. Anacharis and Dulcy were sitting near her.  
Anacharis was lighting small twigs on fire with a touch of her finger. "I'm still not very good with fire," she said aloud. A ball of crackling electricity appeared over her hand as she raised it up. "Lightning...now that's my specialty."  
"Well, that's ok. With my fire and ice, and your lightning and water, we make a good team." The dragon was lying on her belly, her head resting on a stump.  
Anacharis smiled and tickled the dragon's ears lovingly. She'd grown quite fond of her. "I don't know any water spells, Dulce. Not very good, anyway."  
"Try one," the dragon urged.  
Anacharis squinted her eyes and concentrated. A ball of water appeared above her hand. She threw it.  
"EEEEKKKK!!!" Antoine stumbled, and fell face-first onto the ground. He raised his dripping wet face up, smeared with dirt, and glared around. "Who ees throwing zee water balloon at me?"  
Anacharis put her hand to her mouth. "Oh geez. I'm sorry, Antoine!"  
Antoine brushed the dirt off. "Hmph." He stamped off angrily.  
"I didn't mean to..." began Ana, but Dulcy shook her head.  
"Aw, Tony'll get over it. Don't worry about it."  
Sally sat up. "The main generator."  
"What about it?"  
"That's our next mission."  
Bunnie walked into the clearing. "Everytime we hit it, he jest uses the back-up."  
"No, Chuck told me he's been having problems with back-up. Hasn't bothered to fix it, though. Anyway, we'll do it tomorrow. Well, not me. I've got some other work."  
"Ah'll go. Test out mah new REAL arms an' legs."  
Sally blinked and looked at Bunnie's arm. It was still robotic. "Oh. Has he got it hooked up yet?"  
"Nope." The rabbit sat down. "Ah can't wait."  
Dulcy grinned. "It'll be great, Bunnie!"  
From the direction of the huts came the sound of Sonic and Geoffrey yelling at each other. Sally sighed. "Great. Gotta go break up the children."  
Dulcy laughed. "Those two are going to kill each other one of these days!"  
"No kidding." Sally rose to her feet and ran off towards the huts. Dulcy, Ana, and Bunnie followed.  
The two were wrestling on the ground when they arrived. Ana broke them apart with a mild bolt of electricity.  
"Now what?" growled Sally.  
"Well, luv, I said I was going to take a shower, and SonICK said 'no amount of showers can get rid of your stink'. I mean what's a man to do, luv? Just stand around and be insulted?"  
"Sonic, please," said Sally. "Can't you keep your comments to yourself for once?"  
"I didn't say nothin'," replied a sullen hedgehog.  
"I'm sure," Sally snapped, and it seemed as if another fight would break out. But Rotor's booming voice shut them up.  
"IT'S FINISHED!!!" he hollered.  
They all crowded into the little workshop. Rotor had the deroboticizer set up. Sonic grimaced and said, "PU," as he was forced to stand close to Geoffrey.  
"Now, there's a problem," said Rotor. "Some of the parts are missing, so I substituted similar parts. Also some wires were missing, so I cut them out completely, because I didn't have the right type wire. There's a chance getting in this tube now could be risky. What we should do is wait till I can get to Robotropolis and search for the right parts I need. 'Cause right now it might not work."  
"Ah'll take that chance, sugah!"  
"All right," said Rotor, although he sounded a bit reluctant. He opened the tube, and looked as if he was about to stop Bunnie as she stepped in. But he said nothing.  
He closed the tube and went over to the makeshift control console. His finger pressed a green button.  
Soft purple light filtered into the tube. Then steam rushed in. Bunnie yelped. Sonic tried to wipe the glass clear, but it was foggy on the inside.  
"Is she ok?"  
Rotor opened his mouth, but then a robotic voice intoned, "Deroboticization complete."  
Rotor pulled open the tube, and helped out a damp Bunnie.  
"Ugh, Ah'm all wet," she said. Then she gasped. "Oh mah stars, look at me!" She hopped around on one furry foot to the other. She hugged her left arm to her chest, squealing in joy. "Look at me!" she crooned. "Ah'm beautiful."  
Geoff muttered, "There goes our super-strengh."  
"That's a terrible thing to say," growled Ana. "You ought to be ashamed."  
But Bunnie heard none of it. "Ah can feel like normal again!" She ran her hand over the tube, over Rotor, touched Sonic's spines, and smoothed her own headfur. "It's wonderful!"  
She paused. "But, ya know, Ah feel different, but at the same time, Ah don't feel different. Like my arm an' legs, they still feel heavier than they're supposed to."  
"It's probably a side effect," said Rotor. "You're not used to them yet."  
Bunnie pushed past Sonic and Geoffrey and went outside. They followed her. She strode over to a large rock. "Pick that up," she said to Geoff. He tried, and grimaced as he could only lift it about two feet off the ground.  
"Now let me try." She grabbed the rock and easily lifted it. "Hmmm." She dropped it.  
Geoff frowned. "You shouldn't be able ta pick that up."  
"Ah know. Ah must still be metal."  
"No way," said Sonic.  
"Can Ah borrow your knife?" Bunnie asked Ana. The kitsune handed it over. Bunnie raised the blade up to her arm.  
"No!" yelled Ana, but too late, Bunnie had already cut herself.  
"OW!" yelped the rabbit. Blood was dripping from her arm.  
"Gross," said Sonic. "See, you're not metal. You're bleeding."  
"No kiddin', sugah-hog." Grimacing, Bunnie probed the deep wound. Sonic looked about ready to puke, and Geoffrey stuck out his tongue. "Look," said Bunnie, holding the wound apart. "Metal."  
They saw a sleek metal limb underneath the skin and fur.  
"Whoa," said Sonic. He whistled.  
Rotor shook his head in amazement. "Well. Seems it couldn't deroboticize you completely without the missing parts. So it got rid of some metal, and put on some fur and skin."  
Bunnie was now pressing her right hand to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "So, Ah'm like...Ah'm kinda like Packbell? 'Cause 'e's got hair an' skin an' stuff, but e's metal underneath."  
"Yeah." Rotor nodded. "That's what you're like."  
Bunnie stared down at the ground for a long moment. "Well, it's not that bad. Ah can feel an' stuff. Ah look normal. An' Ah'm still strong." She looked up, smiling. "So Ah think this little accident is fer the better."

The power ring pool rippled as a frog leapt for a mosquito, missed, and splashed into the water.  
"Do you feel bad 'cause they're not all the way real?"  
Bunnie kicked one of her feet in the water, enjoying the feel of the liquid flowing through her new fur. "Aw, not really Tails."  
The kitsune stopped chasing the frog, and sat on the log next to Bunnie. "Guess what? Aunt Sally said I could go on tomorrow's mission!"  
Bunnie smiled at the excited boy. "Yep, Ah heard. But ya gotta be careful, ya know."  
"You're going too?"  
"Yep. An' Ana."  
Tails thought of Anacharis for a moment. If she had been younger, Tails might've had some longing for her, but as it was, she was 17. She was very beautiful with her red fox coloration, and more importantly, her three tails...making her a kitsune like him.  
Bunnie noticed his faraway look. "Do ya like her?"  
Tails shook his head indignantly. "No way! I mean, I like her as a friend...but not, the uh,...other way."  
Bunnie smiled widely, and ruffled his soft headfur. "Just wait till you get a little older, Tails. All the gals'll be after ya."  
Tails stuck his tongue out in disgust, but secretly found the idea very pleasing. Then he pounced, grabbing the frog in his paws. "Gotcha, little guy." He held the frog up with one hand, the other gently stroked its green head. Squirming, it wiggled out of his grip and escaped into the water.  
Bunnie yawned. "Ya better get ta bed. That's where Ah'm goin'." She stood up and stretched.  
Tails searched for the frog for a moment, then followed the rabbit.

***************

Next day!  
It was way too early to be up. He wearily looked out at the Robotropolis 6:00 am sky, which was a depressing pinkish-gray. He yawned widely, and then stared down at the keyboard, frowning. His gaze moved to his right hand, each finger perfectly intact, and then to his left, where the last two fingers were encased in bulky splints. "Yeah. How am I supposed to type with these?"  
He heard footsteps behind him, but didn't bother to look. Packbell's voice rang out. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"  
"No." Snively spun the chair around to face the android.  
"You're wondering where Robotnik is."  
"One of his late mornings?" Robotnik was either up before sunrise, or after noon. Never in between. But the first was more common; Robotnik didn't want to miss any happenings in his beloved city.  
"No." Packbell scratched his arm absently through the black fabric he wore. "He's in his lab. Not to be disturbed."  
"What's he doing in there, anyway?" asked Snively.  
"I don't know. I heard it has something to do with YOU."  
"What?"  
"Unfortunately, I'm kidding. It's something for the SWATbots, I believe."  
Snively stared down at the keyboard. "The animals won't try anything. They just attacked the other day."  
"Yes...and you know what they took..." hissed Packbell. "You know...you only have one day left."  
The lackey's head snapped up. "But..."  
"No buts!"  
"I haven't thought anything up! I don't know how to get it back!"  
"That's your problem, NeedleNose. Not mine."  
Packbell chuckled and slumped down in Robotnik's green throne. He idly spun the chair around, and then sat back, relaxing.  
Snively turned away from the android with troubled eyes. If he didn't get that deroboticizer back today, he was good as dead. When Robotnik found out it was stolen...Packbell was right...the blame would fall entirely on him. His lower lip trembled and he nearly sobbed aloud...Robotnik would be so angry...and he really would kill him this time.  
The sound of loud clanking feet echoed in the room, followed by a strange whirring sound. Snively reached for his bottle of pills, while muttering, "Oh no, not them..."  
"HI EVERYBODY!!" screeched a loud squawking voice.  
Packbell jumped in the throne, and then relaxed again. "What do you want?" His eyes rested on the two robots who had just entered.  
"Oh, just to hang out!" The rooster-bot smiled at Packbell.  
"Yeah, Master Packbell, you know how much I like you." The tank robot smiled even wider.  
Frowning, Scratch looked down at his 'twin' brother. "No, I like him better."  
"You do not! I do!"  
"No, I do!!"  
"Shut up," said Snively.  
They looked over at him. "YOU shut up, Needlenose. You always have to butt in."  
"Come now," said Packbell. "I'm sure you both like me equally."  
The two robots were a bit baffled by this logic, but finally nodded. "Ok."  
Sniv could've almost kissed Packbell for making them stop their ridiculous, not to mention noisy, arguing, but then he realized it bothered Packbell as much as it did him. The android hadn't been doing Sniv a favor, he'd been doing himself one. **Oh well. At least they shut up.**  
"Man, I remember the rest," said Packbell suddenly.  
"The rest of what?" asked Scratch.  
Packbell cleared his throat and crooned, "Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul..."  
Snively's eyes lit up a little and he joined in. "At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet..."  
Packbell kept singing, "And a freight train running through the middle of my head. And you, cool my desire."  
"Ohhh, I'm on fire," finished Snively with a nightmarish flourish.  
"What'd he do, pee the bed?" asked Grounder.  
"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Scratch. "Yeah! What a baby!"  
"And now he's burning the bed so no one will know he peed!"  
Snively and Packbell exchanged disgusted glances as Scratch and Grounder screamed with hysterical laughter. The lackey turned back to the keyboard, pondering what to type. He had several reports that were due soon, although he didn't see why; Robotnik requested them, and then he never read them.  
Packbell hummed the last few lines of the song.  
"I've got a visual!" yelled Scratch.  
"A visual on what, retard?" Grounder snorted.  
"Aw, shut up! It's freedom fighters!"  
"What?" Snively peered at the screen.  
"Yeah, it's the fox-brat and the rabbit, and another fox."  
"They're in Sector D," said Packbell.  
Snively picked up his headset. "Delta squad leader, come in."  
"Yes sir?" a SWATbot answered.  
"There's freedom fighters in your section. Capture them!"  
"Affirmative sir."  
Packbell stood up. "Well, have fun. I'm off."  
"Where ya going?" asked Grounder.  
"My lab."  
"Can we come?"  
Packbell sighed loudly, and then decided they would be useful for fetching things for him. "All right."  
Snively let out a sigh of his own as they left. "Peace and quiet," he muttered. "Finally."  
Then he looked to the monitor, and was surprised to see the freedom fighters, all three of them, had already been apprehended. "Damn...that was fast!" he exclaimed. The com link crackled then, and he picked up the headset.  
"Freedom Fighters captured, sir."  
"Good! Bring them..." He was silent for a moment. Normally, he'd dump them in a cell, and then inform Robotnik. But hadn't Robotnik said 'not to be disturbed'? And besides, he could ask them where the deroboticizer was.  
He restated his sentence. "Bring the rabbot to the interrogation room, the others to cell C."  
"Affirmative."

************

It took him longer than usual to get down to the interrogation room. Halfway there, he was suddenly struck by a sharp screaming pain in his stomach. He let out a whimper, which turned to agonized gasping as the pain intensified. He dropped down to his knees, cradling his stomach. The metal hallways blurred through his tears, and he vaguely remembered the MediBots had warned him about these sudden attacks of pain. Strange colors swirled before him. An intense orange-red was the brightest.  
It reminded him of Devon's hair, and even as the pain began to fade, it was replaced by another, a different sort of pain. One that was in his heart...a dull empty ache.  
"Oh, knock it off," he said aloud, struck by how choked his voice sounded. "She doesn't really lo.....v..." He stopped, gasping hard again, unable to continue. Devon's image was all he could see now, glowing off the walls like light. **I don't need her. I DON'T.**  
A few tears slipped onto the floor, where they reflected the ceiling. **God, what have I done? I've driven away the only one who cared about me...** He shook his head hard. **Not true. She didn't care, all right? She didn't. Don't think about it. You know she didn't care!! She doesn't matter!**  
He drew in a ragged breath, knowing that was wrong. Devon loved him. She loved him and he'd shoved her away. Now she was gone, and there would never be another like her. Because nobody else cared about him like that. No one else in the world. No one had before her, and no one would after her.  
**And now I am truly alone...**  
He began sobbing then, painful sobs drenched in self-pity. It took him a long time to finally compose himself. He wiped the tears away with his sleeve, and dragged himself to his feet. Limping, he continued down the hallway.

Bunnie found herself strapped down in an integration chair. A bright light shone down on her.  
She heard the door slid open, and soft footsteps enter.  
"Well, well. Hello, Mrs. Rabbot."  
The light dimmed a little, and Bunnie could see the short skinny form of Snively. "Mah stars, NeedleNose, ya shore look like shit!"  
Snively looked miffed, but not really surprised. Bunnie watched as he shook out some pills from a rather large bottle he was carrying, and swallowed them. Then her eyes returned to his face. There were some lovely purpley-blue bruises on his head, the result of Robotnik, Bunnie guessed. His few strands of hair, normally perky, were wilted like dead plants. She noticed a twinkle of metal on his left hand, and saw two of his fingers were in splints. As he advanced towards her, she also noted that he was limping.  
"What happened to ya?" she asked.  
"None of your business," he growled. He crossed his arms, wincing as he bumped his injured pinky in the process. "Where is the deroboticizer?"  
"Aw, so ya found out?"  
"Of course."  
"Ah don't know."  
He laughed harshly, then looked pained, clutching his stomach. "Ms. Rabbot, look at your arm!" He pointed at her newly-furred left arm.  
She looked down at it. "Looks good."  
He scowled. "Where is it?"  
"Ah don't know."  
"You do too!! Where is it?!" he screeched, starting to look angry.  
"Ah told ya, Ah don't know."  
Frustrated, he ordered the SWATbots to hook up the electroshock torture device. Bunnie squirmed as they fitted the metal headband onto her head.  
"Now," said the little man, holding the remote in his hand, his finger poised above the button. "Would you please tell me where it is?"  
She shrugged. "Ah don't..." Then she clenched her teeth, screwing her eyes shut as he pressed the button. She tensed up, tears leaked from underneath her eyelids. He released the button. Breathing heavily, Bunnie settled back into the chair.  
"Where?!" he demanded.  
Her voice shaky, she replied. "Ah don't..."  
Snively jabbed the button again. Bunnie couldn't bite back her scream this time, and she squirmed vigorously. He kept the button down. Bunnie's fur crackled from the voltage. Her eyes sizzled. "Ah...won't...tell..." she panted.  
Snively released the button. He considered turning up the voltage, but he had a better idea. "SWATbots, take her out, and put her in the leg restraints."  
The robots unstrapped Bunnie, lifted her out of the chair, and put her legs into the restraints. They held her down to the floor, where she swayed unsteadily on her feet. Sniv looked at her for a moment, then turned to the SWATbot. "Go get the young fox."  
The SWAT saluted, then left.  
While it was gone, Snively turned back to Bunnie. Her legs looked nice. She looked complete. He eyed the restraints. They wouldn't have been able to hold her before. Her robotic legs could rip them right out of the floor. But now that she was flesh...

Bunnie was in a light hazy semi-consciousness. She heard sounds of straps buckling, and then a high voice shook her out of her dream-like state.  
"Let me go!" hollered Tails.  
"Ms. Rabbot." Snively's insistent voice woke her up the rest of the way. She opened her eyes, staring groggily at the human.  
"What?"  
"Look who I have." Snively smiled triumphantly, and then stepped aside to reveal Tails strapped to the chair, wearing the headband.  
"Now," he said, his voice dropping several octaves into a threatening growl. "Where is it? I'm through playing, Ms. Rabbot."  
Her green eyes focused on her young friend, who was shaking his head bravely. "Don't tell 'em, Aunt Bunnie!"  
Gritting his teeth, Sniv hissed, "Very well, then, Ms. Rabbot. I can't believe you would hurt your friend like this. But it's your choice." He pressed the button down hard.  
Tails tried, but couldn't hold back his agonized scream. The electricity ripped through him; thousands of tiny razors dancing their cutting dance across his raw nerves. He felt his muscles all cramp up. His eyes were wide open, staring up at the ceiling, which swirled in a bizarre pattern of lights and metal.  
"NOOO!" shrieked Bunnie. She lunged forward, forgetting the restraints. They didn't matter anyway. The strength of her legs tore them off the floor. With the metal bracelets still around her legs, she barreled towards Snively. He was entranced by the sight of Tails's agony, and heard her coming at the last second.  
She crashed into him, and they both went down. She grabbed him up by the shirt and hurled him into the wall. He slammed into it, chest-first, and reeled backwards, wailing from the pain. Bunnie snatched him again, her fist clenching as she looked down at him.  
The SWATbot stood still, awaiting orders.  
"No," he wheezed. "Stop! Please!"  
Bunnie trembled in anger. "How dare ya! 'E's a child!! How dare ya do that!!"  
He couldn't meet her furious eyes. "I...I..." He caught a glimpse of her fist raising, and cringed. "Please...don't hurt me..."  
"An' why shouldn't Ah?"  
"B...B...Because..."  
Bunnie snorted, and lowered her fist, unable to hit such a pitiful creature. "Yer pathetic," she said. "Yer a sad little man, an' Ah feel real sorry fer people like ya. 'Cause yer so low an' wicked, ya bring shame ta everybody. It's sad."  
He refrained from rolling his eyes. "I really need to know where that deroboticizer is. I swear, I didn't want to hurt him."  
"Shore ya didn't." She released him to approach the chair. While she unbuckled the straps, Snively signaled the SWATbot. It looked blank. "Get her!" he finally yelled.  
But the rabbit whirled around, avoiding the 'bot. Snively tried to dodge, but it was useless. She slammed him hard against the wall. He gasped, nearly blacking out; his broken ribs were howling. "Tell it ta leave."  
He squeaked out the command, and the 'bot left. Bunnie stared angrily at him, and he felt sweat bead on his forehead. He recognized malicious intent when he saw it.  
"Please," he half-whispered, half-whimpered. "Please, Robotnik doesn't know the deroboticizer is gone. If I don't get it back today, Packbell will tell him...and he'll...he'll..."  
Bunnie's grip loosened a little.  
"...he'll kill me. Please, I'm begging you for my life. My LIFE. I wouldn't of shocked the kid if it had been less than that."  
Bunnie released him entirely. "Ah can't tell ya where it is." She rubbed her left arm. "It doesn't work anyway. Mah arm an' legs are still robotic. They're just covered with skin an' fur. How else could Ah have broken the restraints?"  
This did nothing to ease Snively's mind. It didn't matter if the entire machine was a pile of scrap metal, with no chance of working at all. It was the fact that the freedom fighters had it in their possession. Whether it worked or not didn't matter. **And that knowledge won't save me. I'm dead. I'm dead.**  
"Please..." he pleaded.  
"No." She dragged him over to the chair by one arm, and released Tails. After a quick hug, she turned back to the human. "Where's Ana?"  
He folded his arms over his chest, silent. If she refused to help him, then he would not help...he cried out as she suddenly grabbed him again.  
"Don't play games with me, Birdbeak. Ah'm serious."  
He wilted in her grip. "All right," he whispered.  
She followed the limping human down several long hallways, where they finally found Ana and released her. After they disappeared from sight, Snively called up a half-hearted search after them, but to no avail. The three avoided all troops.  
Later that day, the main generator went down.

**************

Bunnie, Ana and Tails tramped through the forest. Then Ana paused. "Listen. You hear that?"  
Bunnie lifted her droopy ear. "Yeah."  
There were footsteps coming towards them. Two humans came into view. They stopped abruptly when they saw the animals.  
Devon frowned. "Who are you?"  
Bunnie raised an eyebrow. "Ah'd like ta ask ya the same thang."  
DaSilva stepped forward. "DaSilva. And my sister, Devon."  
"Ah've never seen ya around," said Bunnie. She remembered something Chuck had said...Robotnik's nieces had been visiting... "Are ya related ta Robotnik?"  
"Well..." said the blue-haired girl, but Devon cleared her throat. "Yes."  
Bunnie's eyes narrowed, while Ana and Tails stared mistrustfully at them.  
"But we don't work for him," protested DaSilva. "I was turned into a robot and our cousin undid it." She looked baffled. "I still feel messed-up though."  
"Yer cousin?" asked Bunnie, then recalled... **That's right. The Sniveler is their cousin...**  
"Yeah," said Devon. Her eyes clouded over for a moment.  
Bunnie looked at DaSilva. "Ah know why ya feel weird."  
"'Cause you're still a robot," chimed in Tails.  
Devon laughed. "She doesn't look like a robot." Her eyes wandered over the little fox. He was adorable. She wanted to scoop him up and tickle his white belly, then realized how offensively he would take that.  
"Ah was part robot too," said Bunnie. "Mah arm an' legs."  
Devon closed her eyes briefly, thinking. She recalled seeing this rabbit on the surveillance monitors in Robotropolis.  
"Ah used the deroboticizer, an' it didn't work all the way. Ah'm still metal underneath."  
DaSilva nodded. "Yeah...cause I still don't feel normal. You know? I still feel heavy. And stronger."  
Devon twirled a strand of her long hair around her finger. "Well...you did outrun me..."  
"If ya cut yerself, ya'll see. Like yer finger, or whatever."  
"Oh, I believe you," said DaSilva. "Maybe I'll try that later."  
Bunnie turned to her two companions. "Go get Sally. And Sonic. We have ta decide if we can let 'em into KnotHole."  
"Ok." The two kitsunes disappeared into the foliage.

"So, how'd ya get here?" asked Bunnie of the two humans.  
"Well," said Devon, taking a deep breath. "We used to live way up north. Robotnik's stuff didn't do anything to us. But I found out it was my uncle, and that my cousin was living with him. So I wanted to see Sniv, cause he was always my favorite relative, and it'd been years, you know?"  
DaSilva sighed loudly. "If it hadn't been for him, we wouldn't be in this mess."  
"Shut up," said Devon. "Anyway, I came here, and found out that Julian turned into a nutcase, and Sniv didn't even care to see me. Then Das here was roboticized, but Sniv helped her by finding the deroboticizer, and reversed it. He showed us this secret exit."  
Devon looked troubled. "He told me he'd meet me out there. I wanted him to come with us. Robotnik is so mean to him...it's unbelievable. But he didn't come. He tricked us. These robots came out instead and chased us away."  
"Ah don't think he's all that nice, gal. Ah suggest ya forget about him. 'E doesn't care about ya."  
Devon's eyebrows slanted downwards in a frown. "But you're wrong! You're all wrong. He's not that bad. He's not evil..." Her voice trailed off. "Well...he is on the surface. But not underneath..."  
Bunnie ran her hands through the fur of her legs. "Well, we had a dog when Ah was a little kid. It was a nice sweet dog. Never hurt anybody. But mah brothers were mean ta it. Mama always said, "Don't beat that dog, don't be wicked ta that dog!" But they did anyway. All the time. An' ya know what happened to that dog? Over the years, it got all mean. It snapped at everyone. Ah was so nice to it, all the time, but after they did that, that dog was mean ta me too." She sighed a little. "An' that's what happened to yer cousin, too. No amount of kindness is gonna make him nice again, Devon. Ya misewell forget it."  
Devon frowned and shook her head.  
She laid her hand on Devon's. "Ah'm sorry. People ain't dogs. Ah guess people can change if ya push 'em hard enough."  
DaSilva was silent through the whole exchange. "I want to stop Robotnik," she said.  
Bunnie glanced at her. "Ah asked our leaders ta come out here. They'll decide if ya can join us. Ah think they'll let ya."  
Devon sighed loudly. "All I can think of is him. That's my goal if we join. Forget Robotnik. I only want cousin back. Like he was before this."  
"Ah hope ya get him," said Bunny quietly. Her ears perked up as she heard a loud boom, and knew Sonic was approaching.  
**Ah hope ya get him. But Ah don't think ya will. Ah never got that sweet puppy back again. Ah don't think it'll be any better fer ya. But Ah hope it is.**

*******************

Robotnik's nostrils were flaring. "My deroboticizer...stolen?"  
"Yes sir." Packbell spoke calmly. Behind him, Snively was trembling.  
They were standing in the flickering light. Robotropolis was powered by the shaky back-up, and the lights sometimes when out altogether. It was irritating at most. SWATbots were already at work repairing the main generator, and the back-up as well.  
"It was stolen sometime during that attack the other day. You know, the one that destroyed the water refinery."  
"Yes," said Robotnik. His fists were clenching and unclenching. His eyes fell on Snively. His tiny nephew shook more severely, clutching his hands to his chest. "S...s...sir...the deroboticizer doesn't work. The rabbot was still robotic. She just had fur, that's all. She..."  
"SHUT UP!" bellowed Robotnik. He smacked his nephew across the face. With a whimper, Sniv backed up against the wall, cowering. But Robotnik turned back to Packbell. "YOU were in charge of that chase the other day. Your failure led to my deroboticizer being stolen!"  
"Yes, but HE is the one..." Packbell pointed at Snively. But Robotnik's robotic hand suddenly grabbed the android's finger, crushing it. Packbell yelped.  
"It was YOUR fault, Commander. I really believe I let you get away with far too much." His red eyes narrowed. "You knew Snively was going to deroboticize DaSilva, didn't you? But you let him do it anyway...so you could get the glory of 'discovering' it? It's as much your fault as his!"  
Packbell kept his face calm, but inside his system was buzzing. He knew the present situation was threatening his well-being. "Sir, you have to admit, the blame falls on..."  
"YOU!" Robotnik roared, and suddenly slammed the android into the wall, full-force. Blue sparks leaped as Packbell's hand slipped between him and the wall, and his own body weight crushed it. He shrieked.  
Snively was still cowering, and he nearly screamed as Robotnik whirled to look at him. But his uncle merely stared calmly at him. "Go on, Snively. Don't you have some work to do?"  
Eyes wide in surprise, the lackey quickly nodded and limped from the room. He heard Packbell's desperate protest as the doors slid shut behind him.

"My God!" he exclaimed, as he slowly made his way down the hallway. A few tears of relief were dripping off his chin. "God..." He still couldn't believe the change of events. Packbell, Robotnik's adored 'son', his beloved 'droid, was finally FINALLY taking the blame!!  
He laughed softly, then dug in his pockets for some pills. His ribs hurt badly. That rabbit hadn't been gentle with him.  
He paused before a window as he swallowed the pills, and looked out. A few red clouds curled above the metal buildings. "Oh Devon," he sighed aloud. Another tear slipped down his face. "Devon, I wish you were here. I...I...lo..v...NO...I miss you..."  
He leaned his head against the cool glass, breathing light and raspy. His skin was burning like a fever. He'd almost said that four-letter word. **I can't. It's not possible. I do not...l..l..ove. I'm not capable of...love...** His heart, thumping hard in his chest, told him otherwise. Yes, he was very capable of love. He wearily gazed at the red clouds, and his heart beat even harder for these clouds that curled like the strands of his cousin's hair.  
Love was too dangerous and too foreign an emotion for him to handle. Combined with the throbbing pain of his ribs, and his erratic breathing, these two aspects made him crumple like a paper to flames. He slumped down to the floor, unconscious.  
Outside, the red clouds spun themselves into long hair-like strands that were exactly the shade of Devon's tresses.

"Well," said Princess Sally. "Welcome to KnotHole."  
It had all been decided. Devon and DaSilva were welcome additions to the Freedom Fighters. Welcome, but a bit mistrusted, Devon noticed, as several of the animals, including a uniformed, golden-haired fox, steered clear of them.  
But that didn't matter. **They'll trust me in time. But that doesn't matter either. All that matters is him...**  
DaSilva wasn't concerned with anything. She only noticed how insanely blue the sky was, how the green leaves whirled and rustled around her, the smells of earth, of nature, of life. All around her, the air buzzed with activity.  
**This is a good place. A safe place.** She looked over at poor, distraught Devon. **Oh well. She'll forget him soon. It's too beautiful here to worry.** Around her was the vibrant color of green.  
"I think I'll dye my hair green," she said. "And have green contacts. How would that look, Devon? I think I would match the scenery pretty good."  
Devon's face lost the melancholy look. "I think you'd look good, Das. Green's a good color. You've had that blue for too long, anyway."  
"You know what else I think?" said DaSilva, as she hugged her sister.  
Devon's eyes were filled with blue. Was it the sky, or just DaSilva's hair in her face? "What?"  
"I think we're really going to like it here."  
"Me too, Das. Me too."

The End?


End file.
